New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) The Delhi High Court Tuesday dismissed an appeal filed by the elite recreational Shanti Sports Club in the Vasant Kunj colony challenging the single judge bench order holding the club building to be an illegal and unauthorised construction.
A division bench comprising of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice S. Muralidhar refused to grant any relief to club patrons and dismissed the petition.

A single bench had earlier this month termed the club building as illegal and unauthorised and not in public interest.

Club patrons, seeking regularisation of the club, had approached the court and contended that according to the Delhi Master Plan 2021, sports activities are important part of physical and social development.

“The club with 720 members and 196 honorary members provides free membership to senior citizens and also gives free coaching to underprivileged children, who have represented Delhi at the state and international level,” the petition said.

It said as it is a bonafide occupier, its application for regularisation should have been accepted especially as it had also agreed to give up the land required by the government for a road between the existing Nelson Mandela Road and MG Road, which is to pass through the club area.

The proposed road will also connect the planned Commonwealth Games facilities at Vasant Kunj and the Central Public Works Department complex at Ghitorni village.

The Supreme Court earlier has also ordered the demolition of the club building as it was illegally constructed on Delhi Development Authority (DDA) land without the building plan being sanctioned.

The club, set up between 1980 and 1983, has a cricket ground, tennis stadium, badminton courts, swimming pool, table tennis room, squash court and cottages with modern facilities. Several Pakistani and Australian diplomats too reside in rented houses in the club complex.